


Through The Night

by twentysixletters



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, I don't really know how to tag it yet, I kind of have a plan for this, More tags to be added, more about friendships than relationships, no relationships planned yet, please don't be angry if I kind of stray from canon, possibly slightly au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-24
Packaged: 2018-05-19 05:01:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5954563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twentysixletters/pseuds/twentysixletters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caroline Russell arrives in 1940s New York with no idea what's waiting for her. She is eventually drawn into the world of Peggy Carter, SHIELD, and Captain America. But she knows him better as Steve Rogers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my new Marvel fanfic! I hope you enjoy it- I can't say for sure when it will be updated, but I hope it will be soon.

New York, 2012

Black clouds glowered over the streets of New York as Caroline Russell hurried back to her apartment. Rain dripped from her fringe and soaked through her jacket, and the chill had settled bone-deep beneath her skin. It was her own fault, really- it hadn’t looked like rain when she set out for work, so she hadn’t brought an umbrella.

She was shivering as she hurried inside her apartment building. It was a good thing she had the evening to herself. There was a long, hot bath just waiting for her. Maybe a cup of tea, too.

The lift dinged as it reached her floor, and she fumbled for her keys on her way to her front door. Of course they had to be right at the bottom of her bag.

Once she was inside, she leaned against the door with a sigh. Some of the heaviness had lifted from her shoulders already. 

The apartment was mostly open-plan, kitchen and living room and dining room all mixed together. Her bedroom and bathroom were off to the side. One of the walls was taken up with a huge glass window, which had a gorgeous view over the city.

Today, a tall, bald man with an eyepatch waited in front of it. His hands were clasped behind his back.

He turned as he heard her enter, and she stopped dead. Her face went blank.

After a moment, she turned away, slowly and mechanically coming further into the apartment. She hung the jacket on a peg behind the door, and put her keys and bag on the counter.

“I knew you were going to find me at some point.” Her voice was smooth and neutral, her back rigid. She leaned against her counter and folded her arms, never looking away from him.

The man gave a low chuckle. “You made it pretty tricky, I’ll give you that. Might have managed to stay hidden if you hadn’t decided to act the hero.”

“That’s a load of crap. You and your lot have been keeping tabs on me since the 1950s.” There were still raindrops sitting like jewels in her hair. “Do I get to know your name?” 

He got to his feet and walked towards her, holding out his hand for her to shake. “Nick Fury, at your service.”

She laughed. The sound was empty. “I very much doubt that. You’ve kept records on me for years. If you’re coming to me now, then you need a favour.”

He raised his eyebrows. “You’re quick.”

Abruptly, she walked past him to the table. She didn’t sit down, instead hesitating behind of one of her chairs. Her face was turned away, and her voice was just a shade too sharp when she said, “Well, I could hardly have worked for your people if I weren’t. What can I help you with?”

Pausing for a second, he chose to sit in the chair opposite her and watched her face closely. She thrust her chin up, just a little. 

“Captain America.”

The flicker of pain in her eyes was brief, but there. She grabbed the back of her chair, her knuckles white, and dread twisted nauseatingly in her stomach. 

“He’s dead. Steve died in the 1940s. Even if he were still alive, he’d be in his nineties.”

The lack of conviction in the statement was a jarring reminder of just how young she was. For the first time, Fury noticed the laughter lines just beginning to form at the corners of her wide eyes and the way her face was slightly rounded. He regarded her with something approaching kindness. “What would your answer be if I told you that we’ve found him? Alive?”

Her head snapped up. Her light green eyes burned into his. “Stop. Don’t say that. It’s cruel.”

“It’s the truth.” He smiled at her. “I know this must be difficult for you, but it is. Captain America is alive.”

“You’re not joking,” she whispered, voice hoarse. When he shook his head, she finally sank into the chair. Her face was ashen, a flurry of emotions playing across it. She reached back and began to play with a strand of blonde hair. “How?”

“His plane crashed into ice, which preserved his body. He’s effectively been frozen in time.”

“Oh my lord…” she muttered weakly. Her head was spinning. She’d long since resigned herself to the fact that her old friends were all dead. The idea that she might not be as alone as she’d thought…

“I’m sorry. I know it’s a lot to take in, Miss Russell,” he said kindly. “I presume you still use that name?”

“Of course, in private. Never married,” she replied, absent-mindedly. “So…Steve’s awake?”

“Awake, but very disoriented. We’re keeping him away from the public for the time being.”

“Naturally. So what are you asking me to do?” She straightened a little, and looked at him steadily.

“Steve will need some help adjusting. It has been seventy years, after all.” He raised his eyebrow. “I’m sure you can appreciate that.”

“How do I know I can trust you? You’re a stranger in my apartment. You could be anyone.” She shifted her chair a little closer to the table. Again, the statement lacked conviction. He said nothing as he took his badge from his pocket and laid it on the table. Her hand hovered above it for a split second, and after she grabbed it she looked between it and his face for several seconds. Then she handed it back.

“I see. If I do this…” She swallowed, looking down. “I won’t get dragged into any missions, will I? There was a reason I left SHIELD.”

He reached across the table, placing a hand on top of hers. “I promise. Your wishes will be respected.”

She nodded. It took a few seconds before she could speak again. “Where are you keeping him?” As much as she tried to keep it hidden, her voice was eager, if still a little sceptical.

“One of SHIELD’s safe houses outside of the city.”

Any thoughts of cups of tea and hot baths were long forgotten. She rose to her feet, tossing back her hair. The mask of calm was back in place over her face.

“Then let’s go and see him.”


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline Russell arrives in New York.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is getting started properly now- hope you like it!

New York, July 1939

Caroline hurried up to the top deck of the ship. The rumble of the engines beneath her feet had unsettled her a week ago; now, she barely even noticed it.  
Before she’d even got to the top of the stairs, she saw the tips of buildings reaching above the edge of the deck, and trembled with excitement. In her haste to get to the edge of the deck, she tripped over the top step. Her hat tumbled to the floorboards. The cold wind immediately grabbed hold of her loose blonde hair, and it fell in her face as she stooped to pick the hat back up.

Oh, forget it, she thought to herself impatiently. Instead of trying to put her hair back in order, she clutched the hat and hurried to the railings to catch her first glimpse of her new city. 

The smell was the first thing which struck her. The tang of salt she’d spent a week breathing in was now mixed with petrol fumes and street-vendor food, only fuelling her excitement. The buildings, tall and grimy, stretched as far as the eye could see, and it was unlike anything she’d ever seen.

Once she could bear to tear her eyes away, she moved closer to the front so that she could clutch the railings and search the harbour for the woman her parents had sent to meet her. Ever since she told them about the scholarship for a university in America, they’d been almost insultingly enthusiastic about her going. But, as they had pointed out, New York was a big city- she didn’t want to get herself lost before she even reached the university. So they had sent a friend of their, someone her father had met through the army, to greet her at the harbour. Looking around the docks, she was glad that they had. 

The docks were busy, teeming with people. There were grubby ship-hands in overalls, children racing around underfoot, elegant couples strolling along the streets in the background. The crowds were so dense that it was impossible to pick any one person out. 

The closer the ship got to its dock, the slower it seemed to be travelling. Caroline had spent entire hours on the ship anticipating this moment, which in theory should make her a little more blasé about it now that it was actually here. In reality, it had the opposite effect. The excitement that bubbled in her stomach was so overwhelming that she almost felt herself bouncing on the balls of her feet. Now that it was just feet away, all she wanted was to get her feet onto the dry land of New York Harbour. 

Even once the ship docked, they had to wait for what felt like an age before they could disembark. Caroline used the time to hurry back and check over her cabin one last time, then retrieve her handbag and touch up her makeup. It couldn’t hurt to turn a few New Yorkers’ heads, she reasoned, even if she would be too busy studying to follow up.

And then, finally, it was time to leave the boat. The low vibration of the engines had been replaced by the excited chatter of more than a thousand excited passengers, all pushing towards the narrow gangplanks. There were too many people around her to see the people waiting on the harbour, so she returned to admiring the skyline of the city as she walked towards solid land. It was even more impressive now that she was practically beneath them.

Without the engines and the rocking of the sea beneath her feet, suddenly the ground felt altogether too still. She hadn’t expected that, and it was slightly unsettling. Her legs quivered dangerously atop her heels, and she tightened her grip on the railings. She was not going to spoil her first moments here by sprawling onto the ground like some new-born animal.

In the middle of the crowd, with those buildings looming over her, she suddenly began to feel very small. Everyone around her seemed to have somewhere they were going, or someone waiting for them. She was alone, for the first time in her life.

The way the crowd was pressing in around her was abruptly unsettling. A cold wind swept over the harbour, and she wrapped her arms around herself. 

“Caroline Russell?”

The crisp female voice came from behind her. The accent was unmistakeable British. She span around to look.

It was only when she saw the woman striding towards her that she realised what she’d been expecting- definitely a man, and probably around her parents’ age. This woman was neither. She only looked about Caroline’s own age, but she was dressed in an official army uniform and her hair was pinned back neatly. Caroline was suddenly very aware that she’d been sleeping in a bunk that was just slightly too small for a week, and of the rushed job she’d done on her makeup.

“You are Miss Russell, right? Jack and Sarah’s daughter?”

She nodded, smiling, slightly soothed at the mention of her parents’ names. 

“Yeah, that’s me. You’re their friend?”

“Actually, no. He couldn’t make it, so he sent me instead.” Ah, Caroline thought. That made more sense. The woman was reaching into her pocket and pulling out a letter. “He told me to show you this. I’m Margaret, by the way- Margaret Carter. Feel free to call me Peggy, though.”

“Nice to meet you.” She reached out and took the letter, a brief glance showing that it was her mother’s handwriting. “Thanks for coming to meet me.”

“No problem. You looked a little lost. This can be a big place, right?” Her smile said that she didn’t mean it in a patronising manner. After the pause had gone for long enough to become awkward, she continued, “Do you need to fetch any bags?”

“Oh, yes, of course. Most of them have been sent ahead, but would you mind helping me with the rest?”

“Of course, but we need to be quick. There’s a car waiting nearby.”

The amount of bags being unloaded from the ship was staggering. Caroline and Peggy darted through the crowd, and Caroline spotted her bags before long. Peggy went straight for the large suitcase she’d used on the boat, making it seem much easier than when Caroline had carried it on board. 

“So you got a free ride to Whitewood Academy?” she asked curiously once they were in the car. “You must be pretty bright, that’s a prestigious place.”

Caroline grimaced. She’d had this conversation, or variations of it, so many times throughout her childhood. When she told people how much she enjoyed maths, their reactions normally went one of two ways- shock or just plain condescension. It got tiring after a while. She stared out of the window as she replied.

“Yes. My teacher’s the one who persuaded my parents that I should stay on in education and entered me for the prize. I guess she has a lot of faith in me.”

“What are you studying?” Peggy asked. She sounded genuinely curious. Caroline sighed inwardly, bracing herself. 

“Mathematics.”

Peggy blinked. “That’s- not what I was expecting.”

“No. It never is,” Caroline replied, lips tight. Peggy misread her discomfort.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to be insulting. It’s just that you don’t hear of a lot of women choosing to study that. I think it’s amazing,” she added, and somehow, it sounded convincing coming from her lips.

“Well, uh, thanks?” she said uncertainly. “What about you? How come you got saddled with coming to pick me up?”

“I’m the secretary to one of the majors in the British Army, the man your parents know. He figured you might want someone a little closer to your own age to meet you.” She tilted her head to one side, picking up on Caroline’s unspoken question. “I’m eighteen. Same as you, right?”

“Yeah. That’s pretty young to be part of the army.”

“Not really. It’s where I belong.”

It wasn’t hard for Caroline to understand what she meant. Part of the reason she’d been so eager to come to America was because England had begun to feel stifling. Her parents pretty much respected whatever choice she made, but everyone else seemed to judge her on the fact that she was more interested in graphs and statistics than marrying and having a family. New York was going to be a fresh start- a place where no one expected anything from her, and she had the space to pursue whatever she wanted to. If her parents had taught her anything, then it was to refuse to let herself be pushed into a box and side-lined.

Peggy’s cough broke into her thoughts. “So it’s been arranged for you to stay at a hotel overnight, and a taxi will arrive tomorrow to take you to Whitewood. They don’t open till ten, do they?”

Caroline shook her head, and tried not to show how nervous the thought of tomorrow made her. She hated the first day in any new place, and she had a shrewd suspicion that being from England would mark her out for even more attention. Peggy frowned slightly.

“Hey, don’t look so worried. You’re obviously bright enough for it, and you seem like a lovely person. You’ll settle in in no time.”

She shook her head sceptically. “I don’t like meeting new people. I’d rather just get straight on with work, actually.”

“Well, we’re getting along fine, aren’t we? And if they don’t like you, their loss.”

Her friendly manner helped Caroline to muster her courage. “What was it like for you, when you first arrived in America?” she asked in a small voice.

Peggy shrugged. “I’ve only been here a few months. There were a few comments about my accent at first, but they died off and the homesickness fades after a while. It was kind of difficult to get them to accept me because I’m a woman, I guess. But they’ll learn to respect you. You must be cleverer than most of them. Trust me, okay? You’ll do fine.”

“Yeah. I hope so,” she sighed. “Thank you. You probably weren’t expecting to turn into someone’s therapist.”

“No problem. I like you. Hey, here.” She scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to her. “If there are any problems, call this number and ask for me. I’ll come and sort them out for you. I work for the army- I’ve picked up a few tricks.”

She winked, and some of the anxiety pressing down on Caroline’s chest lifted. “Thanks. Honestly, you didn’t have to.”

“Us girls have to stick together.” She glanced out the window as the car came to a smooth stop. “Well, here’s the hotel. Will you be okay with your bags?”

“I think so. Thanks again, Peggy.”

“No problem. Let me know how you get on.”

Caroline got out of the car, retrieved her suitcase and watched as it drove away. Only when it was out of sight did she go inside. Tomorrow would be a long day, and she was tired already. 

But the thought that she might already have made a friend in New York had kindled a little spark of warmth inside her.

-

“What did you think of her, then?” Peggy’s boss asked as soon as she got back to the office, warm American voice filling the whole office. He wasn’t a major, like she’d claimed, and she wasn’t a secretary. In fact, that was the very last job she would have considered for herself.

“She’s a nice girl. Bright, a little nervous. How was the meeting?”

“About the same as you’d expect. Bunch of bureaucrats, no sense of how important our work is.” He sighed. “Thanks for picking her up for me.”

“It was my pleasure, really. She needed a friend.” Peggy thought back to when she’d first spotted her. She looked just as lost as Peggy had felt her first day in the city- and Peggy had already been part of something.

“And you’re still okay to keep an eye on her?” he checked. “Her parents are good people. Good agents. I’d hate for something to go wrong for her.”

“She’s safe with me, sir.”

“Thank you, Agent Carter. You may go. There’s a mission debriefing report waiting in your office.”

“Sir.” She spun smartly on her heels, and left.


End file.
